Republicans

It is almost unbelievable how badly Congressional Republicans have botched their opposition to President Obama’s illegal executive amnesty and the funding of the Department of Homeland Security. The House, under John Boehner’s direction, did the right thing: it passed a bill that fully funded DHS, but barred spending to implement the amnesty that has now been declared illegal by a federal court. The action then moved to the Senate, where »

Suddenly, President Obama’s religious beliefs are a subject of intense interest to America’s reporters. This is a marked contrast with 2008, when Obama’s religion (“God damn America!”) was considered off limits by reporters and editors. It is odd, though: one politician who won’t be asked about Obama’s religion is the only one who plausibly could answer the question, Obama himself. It’s not just Obama’s religious beliefs, either. Ever since Rudy »

Today is of course the anniversary of the birth of America’s greatest president, Abraham Lincoln. As a politician and as president, Lincoln was a profound student of the Constitution and constitutional history. Perhaps most important, Lincoln was America’s indispensable teacher of the moral ground of political freedom at the exact moment when the country was on the threshold of abandoning what he called its “ancient faith” that all men are »

As I wrote here, Mitch McConnell is giving disquieting signs of throwing in the towel on President Obama’s illegal executive amnesty. This is particularly disturbing, given the history: during the lame duck session, the Republican grass roots were clamoring for the House to take immediate action against implementation of the amnesty. Republican leaders in Congress argued that such action would be premature until the GOP controlled the Senate as well »

Washington Post reporters Chico Harlan and Jim Tankersley spike the ball on behalf of the Democrats in an article called “Healthy economy forces Republicans to rethink Obama-skewering strategy.” Their talking point is that our “robust economy. . .is threatening the longtime Republican strategy of criticizing President Obama for holding back growth and hiring, forcing the GOP to overhaul its messaging at the beginnings of a presidential campaign.” Harlan and Tankersley »

I’ve got an old clip from the Wall Street Journal that quotes a Michigan legislator some years ago saying, “Some of our friends wanted it in the bill, some of our friends wanted it out, and Jerry and I are going to stick with our friends.” That’s how I feel about a Wall Street Journal story this morning that lifts the lid on a growing split among conservatives that I’ve »

Mitt Romney delivered two gifts to the Republican Party on Friday. The first was his decision not to run for president. Unlike many, I believe Romney would have been an okay nominee. However, the GOP may well need better than “okay,” and there are some in the potential field who seem better equipped to take advantage of what I perceive to be Hillary Clinton’s weaknesses. This leads to Romney’s second »

Live blogging yesterday’s Judiciary Committee hearing on the confirmation of Loretta Lynch as attorney general, Paul noted that Senator Hatch expressed his hopes that he would be able to vote to confirm Lynch. “I hope he won’t,” Paul added, “but after hearing his questioning, I fear he will.” Last night Senator Hatch’s press secretary sent us a message including a video (below) of Senator Hatch’s questioning of Lynch. The press »

Loretta Lynch, President Obama’s nominee for Attorney General, will testify tomorrow before the Senate Judiciary Committee. It should be an interesting day. Coming up with lists of questions to ask Lynch has become a cottage industry. I offered my entry in November: I hope that during Senate confirmation hearings, Lynch will be asked specifically about each issue as to which the Holder DOJ has applied or considered applying disparate impact »

Four years ago, the popular just-retired governor of an Upper Midwest state was pinning his hopes of a presidential run on neighboring Iowa. Those hopes came to an end when Tim Pawlenty withdrew from the presidential race after a poor showing in the Iowa straw poll. It seemed like a case of being knocked over by a feather. However, Pawlenty needed to do well in Iowa, and was outflanked on »

I’m beginning to feel like Pauline Kael. The late film critic and denizen of upscale Manhattan is alleged to have expressed wonderment at Richard Nixon’s re-election, since no one she knew had voted for him. The early part of this week marked the festive season for the Republican political class here in Washington, DC. Receptions, such as the one for Tom Cotton, were held all over Capitol Hill. A good »

The Washington Post’s front page today featured an article with the title “McConnell aims to rein in GOP to help it win White House.” The internet version of the same story is called “New Senate majority leader’s main goal for GOP: Don’t be scary.” The sentiment is not without merit. It’s not in the interest of Republicans or conservatives for a Republican Senate to scare voters. Few would dispute this »

Texas Congressman Louis Gohmert announced on Fox and Friends this morning that he will challenge John Boehner as Speaker of the House in the new Congress. I hope Gohmert wins, and urge conservatives in the House delegation to vote for him. I have generally defended Boehner in the past, but in my view his conduct with regard to the continuing resolution/omnibus spending bill that was passed during the lame duck »

In 2007, Mike Huckabee was an ex-office holder running, in effect, for talk show host. His time as governor of Arkansas over and his finances nowhere near where he wanted them to be, Huckabee, it seemed to me, was hoping to parlay a presidential run into a lucrative career doing what he does so well — talking. Huckabee succeeded. His better than expected (other than by him) run for the »

As you undoubtedly know, liberal politicians and pundits have been hailing the claim that House Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana attended a meeting of a white supremacist group in 2002 as the biggest story since Bridgegate. Scalise himself said that he had no recollection of addressing such a meeting, but if he did it was an error in judgment for which he apologizes. Now it turns out that the »

I suspect that Jeb Bush is launching his presidential bid so early in part as a preemptive strike against Marco Rubio, his fellow Floridian. If Bush gains the inside track on key donors, especially ones from Florida, it might cause Rubio to think twice about running. If Rubio stays out, the benefit to Bush is obvious. To forestall Bush’s attempt at a preemptive strike, Rubio promptly announced that he is »

It’s official: the Democrats are divided on their path to 2016. The Washington Post, in front page story has declared it so. The division is already known to anyone who has been paying attention. Steve Hayward has been writing about it for a long time. Pass me some popcorn, Steve. The division, explains the Post, is between pragmatists like Hillary Clinton (just to pick a name) and hardcore ideologues like »